Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-01-17


may be smother cranky notion, but il
so am not the only one in error.
Dunglison's medical dictionary class
es it among The long list of vegetable
poisons. and says: The narcotic
vegetable poisons. if taken into the
stomach or applied to a wound, oc-
caSions the following effects; Stupor.
numhness. heavlness in the head,
desire TO vomit, slight at first. but
afterward insupportable. sort of
intoxication, stupid air. pupil of the
eye dilated. furious or lively deliri-
um. sometimes pain. convulsIons of
different parts of the body. or palsy
of the limbs. The pulse is variBble,
but At FIST generally strong and full,
the oTeathing is quick. and there is
great anxiety and detection, which if
not speedily relieved ends in death. .
Wharton and STILES Medical Ju-
risprudence says: The symptoms
produced by a poisonous dose of to-
bacco are nausea, burning heat in
the throat and stomach, collie, ex-
treme giddiness, great anxiety, with
disposition to faintness. palloT cold
ness. spasmodic trembling; the
pulse is small. weak. tremulous and
Intermittent: the breathing labored,
and there is paralytic relaxation of
The voluntary muscles, and clonic
spasms of the limbs. The pupils are
but slightly affected, and the eyes
seem 10 be sensible to light. This
state is succeeded by a general tor
por. or utter prostralion, which is
not coma, but which may terminate
in death"
The poisonous property of tobacco
is nicoIna. which is an oily. trans
parent. colorless liquid, becoming
brown and thick upon exposure to
the air, and when pure exhaling q
slight smell of tobacco. It's taste is
acrid and burning. and it is soluble
/ in alcohol, water, ether and the oils.
! The amount Of this substance in the
various grades differs, and | find on
consulting the report of [. 5. official
chemical examinations that it varies
from 5.81 per cent in the Virginia to-
/ bacco, the dark variety manufactured
into plugs for chewing purposes to
/ 63 per cent in the Little Dutch grown
| in the Miami valley and used for fll-
ers in the mildest brand of cigars.
( The flavor and other qualities are
due to the process of manufacture,
and the method Of curing the crude
coarser. darker grades is their power
of absorption. enabling the manufac-
turer to flavor the leaf to suit the
taste, while the finer varieties burn
with the proper rapidIty to develop
an agreeable aroma.
We have spoken of the effect of
! tobacco as a poison, but unfortunate
II that is not the purpose for which
it is raised and consumed by so many
of the human race. Used in small
quantities it has the effect Of mar
colic sedative, producing deadening
and soothing effect upon the nerves.
But like all narcotics ii soon creates
an appetite and demand for its use
which is Eell-nigh uncomfortable.
The exact physiological effect OF
tobacco upon the system is matter
of some dispute among physicians.
some maintaining that It is stimu-
liant, and others that it is not. The
persons. It is not contended that it
is a food which is digested and as
simulated as other foods. 1t is con-
ceded that the unchanged nicotine
like alcohol Is thrown out Of the sys-
TEN by the secretive organs after
having performed its work in the
body, into the living animal has been
introduced, all the forces at once go
to work to expel the intruder. The
lungs, the skin, the digestive organs,
all throw of ali they can grasp. The
nerves once deadened when the effect
of the drug is gone become more than
ever excited and demand the infu-
ence which first operates to qiuet
them again. If indnlged ia the hab
il becomes fixed. The unduly dead
ened nerves require constant dead
ening. and as they become more ac-
customed to the narcotic larger dose
is constantly required. The diseased
organs communicate their disorder to
others, and the whole body becomes
unsound. Some of the effects are
undue fuidity of the blood with
change in the red corpuscles, nausea
and debility Of the stomach, resulting
in dyspepsia and other chronic dis
orders; enlargement and soreness of
tonsils, smokers sore throat, irregu-
lar action and debility Of the heart,
irritation of the bronchial tubes and
surface of the lungs, dilating of the
pupils Of the eye and confusion Of
vision. bright lines, luminous OF cob
web specks, aud long retention az
images On the retIna, inability TO de.
fine sounds clearly, aud the occur
ence OF a sharp ringing sound, i'm
pairing the activity Of the brain and
IN msny cases causing paralysis Of
the nerves. You may say this does
pot leave much Of 9 man except
bis bones aud his hair. l would ask
you if you have never seen nicotine